MPs’ little cute sin: raise the alert on social networks when a law or an amendment does not suit them. The examination of the 2023 finance bill which is currently being held has not escaped this. The National Rally has proposed an amendment aimed at “removing the tax niche for journalists”. Request rejected by the various parties.
Jean-Philippe Tanguy, deputy of the fourth district of the Somme, member of the RN hastened to enter his keyboard, and to publish on Twitter. “Macronie, NUPES and LR talk about tax justice all day but in fact… don’t touch privileges! “And to add:” They refused to remove the tax loophole for journalists which gives them an advantage of 7500€/year without any justification compared to other employees. »
Many Internet users find this advantage unfair. Some even go so far as to say that journalists could get free fridges and other materials. Others affirm: “The press will think in the future of brushing up on the political parties which grant this advantage to their employees. What is really this “tax loophole” that the National Rally wanted to remove? 20 minutes make the point.
FAKE OFF
The RN wished to delete this advantage on the grounds : “In view of the situation experienced by many French people, in particular with the increase in the cost of daily living, the explosion of energy prices, this tax advantage appears to be unfair and unjustified. The “tax niche for journalists” no longer has any place to exist today. »
Indeed, the latter benefit from a tax deduction, defined by the tax code. Paragraph 1 specifies that “journalists, editors, photographers, newspaper directors and dramatic and musical critics” can deduct 7,650 euros from their income. A deduction that often allows you to go down a tax bracket. These journalists obviously do not receive this sum directly, as some people have been able to understand following the tweet of the deputy RN.
The tax code also states: “These provisions apply only to journalists, editors, photographers, newspaper managers and dramatic and musical critics whose annual gross income does not exceed 93,510 euros. »
This provision dates from 1999 and replaced the old 30% allowance on journalistic income which had existed since the 1920s. the basis of a proposal from the CFDT aiming that it is first of all the journalists with the lowest incomes who will benefit the most”, note the CFDT website.
Why should journalists be entitled to this benefit more than other employees? Well, originally it was a sum corresponding to an “allowance for employment expenses”. The taxes justify it because: “The special conditions under which they exercise their profession do not allow journalists to easily benefit from the option for the regime of real and justified professional expenses”. To benefit from this tax reduction, it is not necessary to justify certain expenses.
In 2013, the senator of the Radical Left Party, Yvon Collin, had already proposed an amendment aimed at reducing this advantage. He suggested limiting it to people earning less than 4,000 euros net per month.